Good Ridance February

I am so happy today is March because it means it is no longer Februrary. This past month has been a rough one. I felt like I have been sick 20 of the 29 days, didn't run once outside and 12 of the days my husband was out of town. You could say his month was the best of the best and mine was the worst of the worst. Which then my jealously kicks in and then mine gets worse. So good ridance Februrary.
I was thrilled to add my new March picture on my header with a Lebrechaun riding a swan/duck, which seems perfect with Easter being so early this year it is only 6 days after St. Patricks day. April will really miss having a holiday this year - I guess we will have to have a huge April fools day.

yesterday I drove to many mailboxes and passed out our little Lep Day surprise. I even tracked down my maillman so I could give him his in person. I was afraid if I just put in our mailbox he wouldn't know it was for him.
I put the frog and "Extra" gum in a cellophane envelope (the cellophane is so much heavier than on the roll) then tied it with green and while polka dot ribbon. You can buy the envelopes in many sizes at Michaels in the gift wrap section and they are quite reasonable.
The tags I printed about 10 to a page on regular paper and then glued them on to 3x3" chipboard tied with brown and white gingham checked ribbon. (Holly and Emily I knew I find the perfect time to use that ribbon) and wala - little leap day bags were born.
It was a good little project to get my mind off some things this week.

in no particular order some events of the week...
I bought 4 pairs of shoes at Target this week - and 2 were actually for me. I have a hard time spending money on buying quality shoes for myself or anything for myself for that mattter. I even have a hard time buying $12.00 on shoes. I am convinced it is because I am trying so hard to clothe three other people in the cheapest way possible that when gets to me I just would rather not buy anything. since I got rid of 75% of my clothes a few weeks ago,(so much for getting on What not to Wear as they will have nothing to throw away) I do feel like what i have left is kind of dated. I had not bought a black pair of shoes for church in 5 years and they look a bit out of style. I can't stomach buying shoes that cost over $50 and will stick with the $12 special from target.


The good mail Fairy came to Annie Kate this week. I ordered one of Jill's Good Mail kits (personalized stationery, good mail labels, photo stickers, return address labels) from her Etsy Store so Annie Kate would have some stationery to send out. She went through the roof when she found out the good mail on the steps was for her. It is so beyond amazing. I love the photo stickers the best! They are all in her favorite color blue. This is the perfect gift, but especially for girls her age.
Here is the link if you want to order some fabulous items from the Good Mail Queen.

but look how cute the envelope stickers are

"Good mail is Great when it comes from Annie Kate"
charolette surprised me with another CD which was just as good as the first.
Cute packaging of the jelly beans. Thank you! and eat a big pink cookie and mint brownie for me.
carlo sent this note in the midst of my being super sick. she sent a Newspaper article about a new Children's book about Abraham Lincoln.
And Carlo I would have done the same thing of removing the stamp the match the envelope.

Lauralee who is doing an awesome giveway right now(it ends on Monday at noon EST) sent her monogram magic my way for Sally Jane's wipes holder. So if I still have to change diapers (so over it) at least my wipes container will be cute. Thanks girl i love it! you can buy one here.
my neighbor just up and brought me flowers because she heard i was sick - i was shocked. I didn't know we were good enough friends to bring flowers to each other and then I think what does that mean? silly me, you can give flowers to anyone! I am glad she picked me.
I got some great mail on the last day of februrary. It came in a Smuckers Peanut butter and sandwhich box. This is excatly why I love using these boxes and here is my trick. if you can keep the contents under 13 oz then you can send it first class - which is so much cheaper than priority. The box and contents were only $2.15. The food boxes are so thin that you are not paying for a majority of the weight in the box. I loved seeing them on my front porch, but loved what was inside even more. (someone sent me the funniest story about using this box to send mail in and someone put it in the freezer.... who was that?)Jen made a cute pink and white monogrammed tin (you can learn to make one here)with a monogrammed key fob.(you can buy one here) One side says my word of the year and one is my initial K - in a ever so cute curly font. I appreciated any thing monogrammed because for every finished piece you have to account for three where the needle broke, ran out of thread or the hoop moved. Thanks so much this is just awesome.
I got my order from Kramerdrive and just love it. I discovered it from a thank you note that was sent to me and just loved the weight of the paper. I seriously have an addiction for 100 lb paper. It is a great site she is just north of me in Pennsylvania.


Mandy sent me this incredible surprise with a wonderful note on a handmade card. The note was printed on the cute cardstock, which I really loved the look of what she did. She sent flower headbands for my daughters , cute metal buckets sprinkles and even some stuff for Annie Kate. She was thanking me for some ribbon that I sent her but said it was too pretty to use. So I emptied the box, used the same mailing labels that were on the box but just switched them and then filled the box full of ribbon telling her that if the first ribbon box was to look at this one is to use. I hope she uses it all up! Thanks Mandy, you have a good memory about the headbands.
i got some more self induced good mail with my stationery order from Good Things (yea Nashville). I am on a mission to get some Thank You's sent out and this order will help me get that going.

Jen sent me the funniest good mail with some citizen citation's to give to people who ask me when I am due? this was so funny and wished I had had them in my purse the other day at the fabric store. Thanks Jen. Don't you love her stationery custom made by the Good Mail Queen! Shawna B. sent me a thank you for her birthday. It is interesting how different cities totally have a symbol to remind you of where you have lived. there is no who has lived in New Orleans that does remember it there when you see the fleur de lis.

barb sent me this very vintage darling valentine that came out blurry in the photo. but the stamps were just as awesome as the good mail. Seriously the queen in all pink - I will say Canadian stamps are pretty awesome.
very clever idea from my sister in law (spencer W's wife) who used a plastic gift bag as the envelope to send their cute Valentine's card. She used her Pink Christmas labels from Doodlebugs. Thanks Kari the third photo is my favorite!!!

I won a personalized sippy cup for Sally Jane, it is so cute, fro Ellie Bellies. Thanks so much. They have weekly giveaways on their blog so you should check it out. All good things come out of Nashville! I think these monogrammed plates could be my favorite thing in their store!!So just when I thought March would be a turn for the better the first day seemed to follow February style. Annie Kate had her last Basketball game of the season. I have only been to 15 minutes of a game the whole season as SJ and CB can not watch the game with the 6 inches that the parents have to watch the game. Jeff always went as he was the assistant coach. I took a total of 7 photos. I feel like I live in a world not made for kids and while everyone was one, they all seem to drive everyone crazy. Try taking your family to Starbucks to get hot chocolate in the winter. Seriously the door should say no kids allowed, because no one in there wants them. Anyway...
I was fully prepared to go to the game by myself as Jeff is out of town and I even got someone to watch my kids. Annie Kate spent all morning preparing her video camera (yes her video camera she had saved up 2 years to buy it when she was 7) to have me tape the whole game. They had their award ceremony afterwards and I knew I could not handle them by myself. We left the house late and then got lost (I am so tired of still getting lost after two years of living here - GPS failed me today) and could not find the new location of the game (changed because of snow last week) We were so late I didn't have time to drop the kids off and sucked it up to take them in. Annie kate had her heart set on videoing the game in it's entirety.
One of my kids is always crying and I guess i am more used to it than the general public. Sally Jane started crying as soon as we got in the gym and was uncontrollable for a good 10 minutes. One of the refs stuck his fingers in his ears and looked at me to take her out. Even I was amazed by her volume in a screaming gym with basketball game going on. I ignored it the first two times but the third time our eyes met and he knew I saw him. I could not have felt more alone today sitting there out numbered by my two. I tried to video tape by Sally Jane kept hitting the camera. I then felt myself getting ready to lose it (which I totally did 5 mintutes later but at least it was in my car) I got up with tears streaming down my face and went to the other side of they gym and asked one of the Dad's if he would take AK to the awards lunch and home after the game. I could barely talk. I then made the embarrassing walk back to the door to push out my double stroller,that was not made for gym doors, to the car. Sally Jane did not stop until 5 minutes before we got home. She was crying because Caroline was holding one of her yellow wooden fish. I felt horrible leaving and didn't even try to get Annie Kate's attention that i was leaving. I didn't have the heart.
Annie Kate got home and I could tell she was trying to hold it together like I was a few hours before. The mom who dropped her off told me she was a little upset when during the game she looked around and couldn't find me. At the awards lunch the coach had the girls stand on a chair and tell them all the wonderful things about them, rats I would have rather seen that then the game. Then she lost it just like me. "Why did you leave?" You didn't tape the game. She then tells me that during the game she rebounded the ball and dribbled it all the way down the court and made a basket. It was then she looked in the corner and didn't see me. She really started crying at this point. She said she went to the corner of the gym where had been sitting to look for the video camera thinking I would have left it for her to video tape the game. (she is a trusting child) She said, Mom I could have videoed the game when I was on the bench. Her comment Last Sunday about the girls getting all the attention sure made a lot of sense today. And I wonder why she wishes why she wants to be an only child.
oh the joys and pains of parenthood.
To end on a Pink note, Sally Jane got this little poster in Nursery on Sunday that says, "Heavenly Father and Jesus Love me" She carried it with her every where the whole day last week. So I taped it to her bed and every night this week after her prayers she puts her dainty finger under each word and says, "Vevenly Fader and Jesus Wuvs .... (long pause...and then yells) ME!